Zurich offers information on worker safety in post-Gustav cleanup and recovery operations...

Zurich offers information on worker safety in post-Gustav cleanup and recovery operations for business properties

SCHAUMBURG, Ill.--(Business Wire)--
Zurich, a leading property and casualty insurance provider in
North America and globally, today offered information to business
owners and managers about specific steps they can take to ensure their
workers are safe during cleanup and recovery operations after
Hurricane Gustav.

Assuring the safety and security of workers in the aftermath of a
disaster requires planning and consideration of several issues. These
operations can be very hazardous to workers. Cleanup and recovery of
minor damage can be handled with internal resources, whereas a major
recovery operation will require working with contractors and salvage
specialists.

After an initial damage assessment and securing of facilities,
salvage operations may be undertaken. Salvage operations may range
from securing undamaged equipment and goods to salvaging of electronic
equipment, documents, furniture and other items. Care must be taken
while working with any equipment that is water damaged to minimize
electrical hazards and damage to the equipment itself. Many of the
salvage tasks require specialized skills and knowledge. Salvage of
telecommunication equipment, electronic data and documents is a highly
specialized task that is better left to professionals.

General safety/personal protective equipment:

-- Equip workers with a complement of routine safety equipment,
such as hard hats, safety glasses, heavy work gloves and
steel-toed safety shoes or boots.

-- Additional protective equipment, such as respirators, chemical
protective gloves or suits, etc., should be provided as
needed. Selection of proper equipment should be made by a
qualified safety professional.

-- All activities should have a pre-plan meeting and be clearly
communicated to all workers.

-- Clean, cool, portable water should be available for workers.
In addition, workers should be encouraged to practice good
personal hygiene, such as washing thoroughly before eating or
at the end of a work shift.

-- Commercially available disinfecting solutions may be useful in
allowing workers to practice good personal hygiene.

-- Use of chain saws and other equipment may present a noise
exposure requiring the use of hearing protection.

-- Flood and other disasters may result in hazardous material
spills and leaks that can present significant environmental
issues and injury potential among workers.

Structural safety:

-- A visual inspection by a competent person for structural
safety should be completed before entering any type of
structure.

-- Emergency repairs of structural areas may have to be
undertaken to secure the structural elements including walls,
ceilings and roofs.

-- Any severely damaged areas should be reviewed by a qualified
structural engineer prior to entry or any work being
performed.

-- Watch for damage to structural elements of the building that
may be weakened by standing water or during debris removal.

-- Isolate unsafe areas by use of physical barricades and other
means, e.g., signage to restrict access.

Tool safety:

-- Tools being used should be examined to ensure they are in good
working order. Any damaged tool should be taken out of
service.

-- The electrical supply for power tools should be equipped with
Ground Fault Interrupter (GFI) protection.

-- Appropriate guards and safety devices should be in place on
all chain and circular saws, drills, grinders and other
equipment.

-- If gasoline or diesel generators or compressors are used, they
should be placed in a manner to allow adequate venting of
exhaust gases out of the work area to minimize creating a
carbon monoxide exposure.

Work at heights:

-- Assure a steady, solid work area for all work at heights.

-- Use tie-off procedures if adequate guardrails are not present.

-- Inspect all ladders to ensure they are in good condition and
monitor placement/use to ensure they are placed and used
properly.

-- In unusual circumstances or when in doubt, wait to perform
work at heights until adequate man lifts, scaffolding and/or
other equipment is present.

Electrical hazards:

-- Electrical and gas utilities may have been shut off by
emergency service personnel. Ensure worker safety before they
are restored.

-- Care should be taken around downed power lines until it can be
verified from the local utility that they have been
de-energized. All downed power lines should be treated as
"live" until de-energized process confirmation is received.

-- Caution should be taken with the potential for live electrical
lines in standing water.

-- Shorted wiring and interior electrical systems may
inadvertently energize standing water in basements or other
areas posing a potential electrocution hazard.

-- Existing or repaired systems should be equipped with GFI
protection.

-- Use of extension cords in wet areas should be avoided. In
addition, any frayed or damaged electrical cords should be
discarded.

Standing and moving water:

-- Care should be exercised when entering moving or standing
water. Moving water can be dangerous for even good swimmers.
Standing water can hide unexpected hazards, such as holes or
tripping hazards.

-- Floodwaters may contain human or animal waste products as well
as industrial or agricultural chemicals and petroleum
products. Care should be taken to protect against skin, face
and eye exposure.

Manual material handling:

-- Removal of debris should be done cautiously. Watch for
movement or damage to building structural members that may
present worker safety hazards.

-- Use proper lifting techniques - use legs - not backs - to
lift, keep the load close to the body and limit lifts to about
35 - 50 pounds.

-- Use buddy lifts with two or more people for larger or awkward
lifts.

-- Walking and working surfaces may be wet or covered with sludge
or other debris. Care should be taken to avoid slips and
falls. Use of proper, non-skid footwear is important.

Disease prevention/first aid

-- There is a significant potential for disease from debris,
waste and standing and contaminated water.

-- Assure that all workers have proper immunizations - see the
U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Web site
(http://cdc.gov/) for suggested immunizations.

-- Provide first aid kits and properly trained personnel. All
injuries, no matter how minor, should be reviewed by a trained
first aid professional and treated accordingly.

-- Extra care should be taken in protecting broken skin - such as
cuts or scrapes - to prevent disease transmission.

-- Ensure a supply of clean water or disinfecting solutions in
order to allow workers to practice good personal hygiene.

-- Insects can be a vector for disease, so all workers should use
insect repellent that contains DEET (diethyl-meta-toluamide).

-- Post-flooding circumstances may also create a risk of snake
and other reptile bites from animals trapped in structures
during flooding. Flood-displaced rats may bring disease
exposure and use of rat bait stations is recommended.

-- Humid, moist areas are prime breeding ground for mold and
fungus growth. The sooner that debris can be removed and the
space dried, the less chance of excessive mold growth. Workers
should be cautioned to exercise care when working with wet
debris. All debris should be disposed in an approved manner.

Confined spaces:

-- A typical confined space is an area large enough for human
entry with limited means of egress not intended for routine
occupancy and has unusual hazards such as lack of oxygen,
potential chemical exposure or mechanical hazards (such as
mixer blades).

-- Standing water with organic waste materials or chemicals may
generate an unusual atmospheric hazard where you might not
normally expect one to exist.

-- Standing or moving water may have weakened structural members
or moved materials creating a potential collapse or engulfment
hazard.

-- All potential confined spaces should be reviewed by a
qualified person. Air testing should be performed to assure a
safe atmosphere. Energy sources should be locked or blocked
out. All of this must be done prior to entry into the space.

Heat/physical stress:

-- Much of the cleanup will be heavy work with the potential for
high temperatures.

-- Workers should be encouraged to drink cool, clean water
several times per hour to maintain electrolyte balance.

-- Work should be scheduled so workers have a reasonable
work/rest regimen of at least 15 minutes of rest per hour of
work - more often in extremely hot temperatures because
concentration and judgment can be adversely affected. Work
scheduling should consider this and allow adequate rest times
and facilities for workers.

For more information about hurricane preparedness visit the Zurich
Web site at www.zurichna.com

The information in this news release was compiled by Zurich
Services Corporation from sources believed to be reliable. We do not
guarantee the accuracy of this information or any results and further
assume no liability in connection with this news release, including
any information, methods or safety suggestions contained herein.
Moreover, Zurich Services Corporation reminds you that this news
release cannot be assumed to contain every acceptable safety and
compliance procedure or that additional procedures might not be
appropriate under the circumstances. The subject matter of this news
release is not tied to any specific insurance product nor will
adopting these procedures insure coverage under any insurance policy.

About Zurich Financial Services

Zurich Financial Services Group (Zurich) is an insurance-based
financial services provider with a global network of subsidiaries and
offices in North America and Europe as well as in Asia Pacific, Latin
America and other markets. Founded in 1872, the Group is headquartered
in Zurich, Switzerland. It employs approximately 60,000 people serving
customers in more than 170 countries. In North America, Zurich
(www.zurichna.com) is a leading commercial property-casualty insurance
provider serving the global corporate, large corporate, middle market,
specialties and programs sectors.

Zurich
Steve McKay
(847) 706-2265
steven.mckay@zurichna.com

Copyright Business Wire 2008